A type of solid waste collection system includes what is known as a "front loader" type, which is a vehicle including a forward cab and a rearward collection hopper. The latter may include a compaction system in order to provide greater pay loads to the vehicle. In use the driver operator would lower hydraulically operated lifting forks or other means, drive forward relative to a trash container and engage the lifting means or forks therewith. Subsequently the container is lifted over the vehicle back to the collection hopper where it is dumped. The container is then returned to its position, the truck reversed to disengage the lifting forks which are then retracted. The vehicle is then driven to the next trash container where the cycle is repeated.
One difficulty has been that because of the relationship of the dashboard within the truck cab a single driver operator was required to leave his normal seated position within the cab and in some instances stand up in order to align the --lifting tongs with the container. In addition, there has been a need for the driver of the vehicle to have a substantially clear vision in the direction to his right side to ascertain whether there are other vehicles in the right hand lane of the street or road. Furthermore, since the vehicle stands up so high, it is sometimes difficult for the driver to see a small foreign or sports type car which may drive up on the right hand side of the vehicle, or on the driver's right hand side.